Core B is the Biospecimen and Histopathology Core. This Core is responsible for assistance in procuring human tissues, cell isolation and culture, maintenance of cell lines and morphologic studies on lung tissue and cells. The morphology component provides support for PPG projects with research needs for immunocytochemistry (fluorescence and peroxidase), laser spinning-disc confocal microscopy, cryoultramicrotomy, immunoelectron microscopy, TUNEL, transmission or scanning electron microscopy, laser capture microscopy and in situ hybridization. The morphology component will use the existing Lung Morphology Core in the Center for Lung Science and Health and Pulmonary Division and the Biological Image Processing Laboratory's laser capture microscope. In addition to providing technical expertise and the facilities for carrying out these experiments, the Core B personnel will assist the PPG project investigators in design of procedures, interpretation of the images obtained and data analysis. The range of phenotypes of fibroblasts derived from control and IPF lungs derived by tissue explant and chemical digestion will be determined for each of the four groups and compared. In addition the expression of phenotypic markers of the isolated fibroblasts derived by each method will be compared with expression of markers by fibroblasts within the lung, and for IPF lungs, within the fibroblastic foci. The Core will systematically test secondary antibodies and other common tools used across projects, to optimize and standardize the results. Dr. Ingbar will direct the allocation of time for individual experiments by the technicians and, as needed, will develop quantitative immunofluorescence and in situ hybridization techniques using a computer-based, image analysis system. Ultrastructural studies will use other University of Minnesota electron microscopy labs. Otherwise all necessary equipment, including the confocal microscope with quantitative image analysis software is available within Core B. Dr. Jose Jesserun, Professor of Pathology, will assist Dr. Ingbar in interpretation of studies using immuno-stained human and experimental animal lungs. RELEVANCE (Seeinstructions):